Erin Potter, left, and her sisters, Mary and Annie, strike a playful pose. The girls are 8, 1 and 12, respectively.

On Thanksgiving when so many people gather together with family and friends to celebrate and be thankful for their blessings, Kirtland residents Kevin and Jeni Potter and their family will be especially grateful for the health of their daughter Erin.

She was first diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia on Feb. 27, 2007, when she was 3.

Erin, who will turn 9 on Nov. 28, went through 2 1/2 years of chemotherapy at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital in Cleveland.

On June 28, 2009, Erin had what was thought to be her last dose of chemo. She was then clear for 19 months during which time she and her older sister, Annie who is now 12, became a big sister to Mary, who turns 2 on Dec. 8.

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The Potter family would soon learn that Mary's birth would mean more to them than the normal celebration and joy that comes with an addition to a family.

That's because the Potters found out that Erin's cancer returned and on a doctor's advice they had saved Mary's umbilical cord blood. It would prove to be a perfect match for a necessary bone marrow transplant for Erin.

For about five months, Erin went through intense chemotherapy and total body radiation and received her sister's cord blood in her bone marrow transplant on June 7, 2011. Erin was released to go home several weeks later.

Her recovery went smoothly and beautifully until March 2, when a routine checkup revealed Erin once again had leukemia.

The diagnosis meant that Erin would need a second bone marrow transplant. And another perfect match was found.

The Potter family only knows now that the donor was a male from a national donation program. They hope someday to find out who that person is because they are so grateful for his donation.

Erin came home from the hospital on Aug. 13, her grandmother's birthday, and has been deemed cancer-free since.

Erin's battle with the illness and her journey caught the attention of President Barack Obama.

Part of what the president learned was not only the courage that Erin had shown, but also that the Potters' health insurance for her had a $1 million lifetime cap and was set to run out until passage of the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare,

The Potters were relieved that their insurance for Erin would be able to continue and they wouldn't have to worry about struggling to pay huge medical bills they would have incurred from their daughter's health care if they no longer had insurance coverage.

"The hospital, they don't necessarily turn people away, but what kind of bills would we be looking at?," Kevin said. "It literally would be impossible for us."

Jeni is a second-grade teacher for Riverside Schools and Kevin owns a roofing and siding business.

Kevin was asked to share his family's story and introduce Obama when he campaigned Nov. 3 at Mentor High School.

Before Kevin went on stage, the family spoke with the president for about five minutes.

"He talked to the girls and right out of the gate he asked Erin how she was doing, and she told him well," Kevin said. "I got a chance to actually thank him for pushing the Affordable Care Act and actually getting it done.

"Then it went on and he said 'you know girls, I have two daughters myself and your dad and I have a lot in common.' Jeni said we both have two terrific wives too, and the president laughed."

Obama then mentioned the Potter's story again in his acceptance speech early in the early morning Nov. 7 after he was re-elected.

"I saw just the other day, in Mentor, Ohio, where a father told the story of his 8-year-old daughter, whose long battle with leukemia nearly cost their family everything had it not been for health care reform passing just a few months before the insurance company was about to stop paying for her care," Obama said during his speech. "I had an opportunity to not just talk to the father, but meet this incredible daughter of his. And when he spoke to the crowd listening to that father's story, every parent in that room had tears in their eyes, because we knew that little girl could be our own."

The Potter family was stunned to once again be part of the national spotlight.

"When the president announced our story on the night of the victory, we were blown away," Kevin said.

Jeni said so many parents of children with cancer have contacted her since and they are pleased the president shined the spotlight on the issue of childhood cancer.

"Over the past 5 1/2 years, so many people are following her story. What a great inspiration she is," Jeni said. "Whatever it is, our journey has moved people. Now it's on such a different stage and him talking about it in the acceptance speech. Talk about 'wow.'"

The Potter family hopes other people may benefit from what they've learned and experienced. They also want to give back to help others whenever possible and to have faith in the future.

"For me personally, I've learned I can't control what will happen," Jeni said. "No matter how much I want to will it, it's not in my hands or hers. My big thing is to look up and have faith."

Jeni helped organize a fundraiser last Saturday at Severance Hall in University Circle in Cleveland to help support building bone marrow transplant rooms for the children and young adults at Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital. People who would like more information or to help donate can visit www.championsforhope.com.